Nicole Harris has become quite the crack shot and has a state division title in trap shooting to show for it.
Harris, 20, of Yreka, first started trap shooting when she was 16, along with her father, Richard, and younger brother, Nolan, at the Yreka Clay Bird Club. At first, Nicole recalled that it was a challenge to aim, fire and shoot at a fast-moving target. The second time she took part, she did not hit a single target and had a score of zero.
But through hard work and dedication she persevered and has steadily improved.
On Memorial Day weekend, Harris took 1st in the high lady division at the 2013 California State Trap Shooting Association State Shoot near Lincoln against top competitors from throughout the state. She had a total score of 195 points during the two-day event to earn the title.
Her score was one of her best finishes and to accomplish this feat at a state event made it that much more special, Harris said.
“It was really a blessing to have it all come together at one event,” she said. For Nicole, while it's great to perform well at events, for her, it's about reaching personal goals.
“I'm kind of competitive, but for me it's about being competitive with myself,” Harris said. “You have goals you want to reach.”
Trap shooting attempts to mimic hunting a wild bird, so the challenge is the shooter never knows which direction the target will go. Targets are shot between 48 and 52 yards away, as the shooter attempts to aim and fire as quickly as they can as they try to hit the moving target before it hits the ground.
Richard Harris said his daughter's determination and hard work to become an excellent shooter has paid off. The key, he said, is that Nicole loves to be out trap shooting no matter how she does.
“She has rough days but regardless, she is always having fun,” he said. “It's like golf, there's going to be ups and downs for everyone.”
Nicole Harris concurred those sentiments.
“You still have your ups and downs,” she said. “You think you got it down and you go into a slump.”
Her family has enjoyed hunting for years and Nicole honed her skills in the woods with her family hunting game from birds to deer.
“It got me to be comfortable with guns,” she said.
During a recent practice at the Yreka Clay Birds Club, her entire family was there in support as Nicole went out and practiced her trap shooting skills, laughing and joking with her mom, dad and brother before going out to the range to shoot.
Richard Harris said that he enjoys trap shooting with his daughter and said it's nice to have something they both enjoy taking part in together. “We're always laughing and teasing each other,” he said.
Nicole said that it's nice to have her dad being a fellow trap shooter and said the sport has become another way for her family to spend time together.
“We just get along well and are always laugh together,” she said, “We're here to help each other.”
While Nolan does not currently shoot, he is at a number of his sister and dad's events. Nicole said that another huge contributor is her mom, Christine. Harris said that her mother is at many events and practices as possible in support of her family and does anything she can to help, such as having meals ready for them.
In July, Nicole plans to take part in a Pacific International Trap Shooting Association event in Washington state that features top shooters from around the western United Sates and parts of Canada.
“I want to do my best and have fun,” she said.
For more information on shooting at the Yreka Clay Bird Club, go to http://shootpita.com/clubs/yreka.